Buttonhole-sewing machine.



No; 694,l5l. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

Y I J. T. HOGAN.

BUTTONHULE SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 26, 1901.) (No Model) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNESSES: I INVENTOR BY JII ESTEJZUZ H16 ATTORN EYS TN: nonms Pitta: cu. vnomupm, wAsmNuTou. o, c.

' Patented Feb; 25, i902; J.T.HOGAN. BUTTUNHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4VWTNESSES: INVENTOR 49am M Jmes 775% an jijggii z: BY

' HIS ATTORNEYS No. 694,|5I. v Patented rah-2 5, I902.

J. T. HOGAN. aunommu-i sewma MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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INVENTOR Jimas]? W275 m6 ATTORNEY 'No. 694,|5|. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

J. T. HOGAN. BUTTONHULE SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 26. 1901.

4 sheets-shim 4.

(No Model.)

,INVENTOR Tflbjdh. BY 14M WITNESSES:

H151 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES JAMES T. HOGAN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- RATION OF NEW YORK.

BUTTONHOLE=SEWING MACHINE.

SPEGIFIZGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,151, dated February 25, 1902. Application filed February 26, 1901. Serial No. 48,948- (No model.)

. To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES T. HOGAN, acitizen of the United States, residing in Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a buttonhole-sewing machine, and has for its object to produce an automatic mechanism by which a buttonhole may be sewed havingrows of side stitches and barring-stitches, the latter at substantially a right angle to the former, across the end of the buttonhole.

I will describe a buttonhole-machine embodying myimproveinent and then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of my specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine enibodying my improvement, a portion of the base being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan or top View of certain parts and a horizontal section of others. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the parts on the under side of the bed plate of the machine. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the plane of the line 4 l, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the plane of the line 5 5, Fig. 3. I Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic viewsiliustrating the position of side and barring stitches in a buttonhole, (they are. not, however, intended to indicate the character of the stitches,) and Fig. 8 is a face view of a modified form of cam that may be used to sew a buttonhole of the character shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a detail view of two pawls employed by me.

A designates a sewing-machine head of any suitable form. As shown, it has a bed-plate A and a horizontal arm A The needle-bar A is fitted in the usual frame in the front of the machine and is reciprocated verticallyin the usual manner by a crank and pitman, actuated by a main driving-shaft A.

The machine will be provided with a suitable form of well-known cutter mechanism to cut the buttonhole either before or after sewing. The machine will also be provided with any suitable form of work clamp or support, that shown in the present drawing forming the subject-matter of a patent granted to me September 11, 1900, No. 657,540.

A designates a shuttle mechanism actuated in the usual manner by the pitman A My invention comprises means to produce a relative feeding movement between the sewing-mechanism and the work-support lengthwise of a buttonhole and simultaneously therewith a relative vibratory movement between said devices to sew a row of side stitches. After the completion of a rowof side stitches these relative movements are suspended, and after such suspension relative feeding and oscillating movements are produced between the sewing mechanism and the work-support to produce a set of barring-stitches at substantially right angles to the side stitches. The relative movements necessaryin the sewing of the barring-stitches are then suspend ed, and the relative movements necessary for the sewing of the second row of side stitches are produced. Finally the relative movements necessary for the sewing of the second row of barring-stitches are produced. In the present example of my improvement I have shown means whereby the needle is vibrated and the work-support fed lengthwise of a buttonhole during the sewing of a set of side stitches, and whereby the needle is reciprocated only and the work-support moved transversely, and at the same time oscillated longitudinally of a buttonhole during the sewing of barring-stitches. I will describe first the mechanism for sewing a row of side stitches.

D designates a vertical shaft driven in the usual manner by gears from the main driving-shaft. On a disk D secured to shaft D, is an ordinary triangular cam D D designates a lever fulcrunied on a stud d. This lever is oscillated on its fulcrum by means of the cam D working in a slot in said lever. Connected to the slotted end (1 of the lever D is a pitman E, the forward end of which is connected to a pawl-carrier plate E. On this pawl-carrier plate are mounted two spring-pressed pawls e and c lying side by side, the toe of the pawl e being twice the width of the toe of the pawl 6 for the purpose hcreafter described. The pawl 6' engages the ratchet-wheel E rotatively mounted on a stud in the bed of the machine. Lying below the wheel E is a toothed sectorplate 6, the purpose of which is to suspend the lengthwise-feeding movement of the worksupport at the end of the sewing of the side stitches. This plate 6 is engaged at the proper time by the narrow pawl 6 Projecting downwardly from the ratchet-wheel E through an opening in the plate 6 is a pin 6 This pin projects between the bifurcated arm 6 secured by suitable means to a pinion E This pinion is mounted on a bracket E eccentrically of the ratchet-wheel E and the toothed sector 6. The pinion E meshes with a gear-wheel E which wheel is fixed to a stem 6 by any suitable means, preferably screws. The stem e extends upwardly through a boss 8 and has secured to its upward end a plain disk E. The disk E is provided with a diametrical slot which receives the head of a screw-bolt, and over this bolt the end of a pitman E is passed, being clamped into position by a cap engaging the screw-thread of the bolt. Said cap has a handle (2 to manually operate the disk E The other end of the pitman E is secured to a slide-block E fitting in a groove 9 of the main plate Q. The slide-block E is secured to the work-support in any suitable way.

It will be readily seen from the above description that the step-by-step rotary movement of the ratchet-wheel E will impart to the work-supporta progressive movement i lever B lengthwise of a butt'onhole during the sewing of I side stitches. During this lengthwisefeeding movement of the work-support the needle is given a vibratory movement at right angles to the lengthwise movement of the work-support by the following mechanism, which is fully described in an application filed by me June 30, 1899, Serial No. 722,397. This mechanism comprises a bevel-gear (not shown) in the head of the machine and actuated v by the main driving-shaft A driven gear-wheel has made integral therewith or separate and attached thereto by suitable means a disk cam. Engaging the cam-groove is a follower b, secured to a lever B,which lever is fulcru med on a stud or shaft b, extending through the arm A A link B is connected to the free end of the lever B and to a bracket or extension B of a rock- 'lhe lever B is fulcrumed at its center on a studb, which stud has a bearing on a'plate (not shown) fastened to the plate B. The lever B is made with side pieces, as shown, so as to form a longitudinal groove b andslidably supported in this groove is a block B provided with a boss or projection, on which are mounted the'end of a pitman O and an end of an upright rod 0. The forward end of the pitman C is connected to the needle-bar frame. The rocking of the lever B through the lever B and link B will impart a vibratory movement to the needlebar when the block B is above or below the The fulcrum of the lever 13 To determine the position of the block B with reference to the fulcrum of the rock-lever Bil have provided the following mechanisim F designates a three-step cam secured to the under face of the gear-wheel E This cam has the faces f, f, f and f, the facef being the highest, the face f being the lowest, and the faces f and f beingin the same horizontal plane and half-way between the planes of the faces fand f. Between the facef and the adjoining faces of the cam are inclines. (Shown by shading.) Between the face f and the adjoining faces are vertical walls. (Shown by the two straight lines.) Actuated by the cam F is a lever F, fulcrumed on a bracket F attached to the base-plate; The lever F is provided with a follower or toe-piece F The free end of the lever F is secured to a stud on the end of the vertical rod 0, which rod is surrounded by a spring 0 held between the bed-plate of the machine and a collar 0 on said rod, the function of said spring being to hold the follower F into close contact with the difierent faces of the cam F.

The operation of the mechanism just described is as follows: During the sewing of the first row of side stitches the cam F is so adjusted that the facefsupports the lever F and the rod C, so as to hold the block B above the fulcrum of the lever B This position of the block 13 is maintained until the follower F reaches the incline between the faces f and f The continued rotation of the gear-wheel E carries the follower F from the face f to the facef This movement of the follower lowers the rod 0, so as to bring the block coincident with the fulcrum of the rock-lever B when the vibratory movement of the needle-bar will be suspended. As before de scribed, the rotation of the gear-wheel E is effected through the medium of the ratchetwheel E When it becomes necessary to suspend the vibratory movement of the needlebar, as just described, it is necessary at the same time to suspend the lengthwise-feeding movement of the work-support. This is effected by means of the toothed sector 6, the periphery of which extends beyond the teeth of the wheel E The pawl e is in advance of the pawl 6, so that when the ratchet-wheel E has been fed by the pawl e to complete the sewing of a row of side stitches the said last-mentioned pawl is thrown out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel and passes into engagement with the teeth of the sector e, thereby suspending the lengthwise-feed movement of the work-support. The advantage in employing two pawls is that the feed may be adjusted too fine to permit of the pawl e riding over the shoulder of the sector 6. By placing the pawl e in advance of the pawl e the former will engage the teeth of said sector, so as to give it a positive movement and bring it into position to be engaged by the pawl e. The parts which thus give a vibratory movement to the needle and a lengthwise feed to the work-support remain sus: pended at the end of the sewing of the side stitches and during the time that barringstitches are being formed. The length of this suspension is determined by the number of teeth in the sectore and by the extent of throw of the pitman E, which latteris determined by the position of the end of said pit-man in the slot d of the lever D When the pawl 6' reaches the end of its travel on the sector e, said pawl and, also the pawl 6 falls into engagement with the'teeth of the wheel E thus beginning again the rotation of said wheel and the feeding of the work-support to sew the second row of side stitches. The rotation of the gear-wheel E carries the follower F from the face f to the face f of the cam F, causing thereby the rod-O to move downward, carrying the block Bibelowthe fulcrum of the rock-lever B This position of the end of the pitman-O vibrates the needle, so as to sew edge and depth stitches alon g theother side of the buttonhole. These movements of the Work-support and needle eon-' tinue until the end of the buttonhole is reached, when the second set of barringstitches will be sewed, at which time the follower F will drop from theface f to the face the s rin C then raising the rod 0 to bring the block B coincident with the fulcrum of the rock-lever B thereby suspending the vibratory movement of the needle. The ratchet-wheel E makes two complete rotations for the sewing of each buttonhole, so that when the second bar is to be sewed the sector 6 is brought into position and operates as heretofore described in sewing the first bar.

Having described the means for sewing the side rows of stitches and for suspending the vibratory movement of the needle andthe lengthwise-feeding movement of the worksupport during the sewing of the barringstitches, I will now describe the means for sewingthe barring-stitches.

G designates a pitman connecting the lever D at its slotted end d and the pawl-carrier lever G. Extending through the pawl-carrier lever is a shaft I, surrounded by the boss g of afeed-wheel G the pawl-carrier lever being mounted so as to oscillate on said boss.

g and g are two spring-pressed pawls mounted on the lever G, engaging the feed-wheel G Fulcrumed on a stud secured to, the bedplate of the machine is a bell-crank lever H, the arm h of which is curved at its outer end, as shown. A spring H, secured to the arm h and to the bed-plate of the machine, causes the arm 71,4 to hold the pawl 9 out of contact with the feed-wheel G? during the sewing of the side stitches, so as to render the said pawl. During this time that is, during the sewing of the side stitchesthe pawl g is. also rendered inactive by means of the blind tooth g, the said pawl merely riding over said inactive.

tooth during the oscillation of the lever G.

To bring the feed-wheel G into action when barring-stitches are to be sewed, I provide a cam-piece h on the toothed sector e, which trips the arm h of the bell-crank lever H at or about the time the follower F is brought onto either one of the faces f or f of the cam F. During the sewing of the side stitches the pin g merely rides over the curved face of the v arm h. When, however, the arm h is tripped by the cam h the arm 71 is thrown outward into such position that the spring g will throw the pawl g into engagement with the teeth of the feed-wheel G As soon as this occurs the said wheel will be fed a sufficient number of teeth to carry the blind tooth g beyond the pawl g,'so as to enable the pawl g to continue the rotation of the wheel G The barring begins as soon as the pawl 9' begins to feed, and the cam h is of sufficient length to cause the pawl g to feedthe wheel (l far enough to bring the pawl g into action. This maybe for one, two, or more teeth of the wheel G and when the end of the arm h passes out of contact with the cam 71/5 the arm 71 assumes such-position through the spring H as to throw the pawl g out of engagement with the feed-wheel G The rotation of the wheel Gr continues through the action of the pawl g until the said pawl is brought opposite the blind tooth g, when the rotation of said wheel ceases. When this occurs, the barring will have been completed and the parts brought to position for the sewing of the second row of side stitches.

The work-support during the sewing of the barring-stitches is moved in a straight line,

and atthe same time oscillated through cams A actuated by the feed-wheel G by the follow- .ing means; The shaft I passes'through-a bushing in the bed of the machine. On top of said shaft is aflange (not shown) forming a support for two camsNand 0. These cams may be cut on the two sides of one plate or they may be made separate and fastened together-by suitable means. The groove-of the cam N is cut so as to impart an oscillating movement to the work-support,-and-the L designates a plate resting on the bed ofm the machine and moving between. gibsl and 1, said plate being cut away to provide=a clearance for the bearing of the shaft I. -Plate L is provided with a follower Z which fol-" lower engages the groove of the under cam E N. v The plateL is slotted,'asshown at Z Inthis slot travels'a follower ona s tud l which stud extends upwardly through a slotpiin the arm 19 of a plateP, thesaid stud being- 1.

clamped to said arm-p, The plate P is se- Q. The plate Q is cut away at q' and in this .curedby means of screws to the main plate Q isloosely mounted on a round stud, which receives a cap-screw The plate P is thus I at both ends of the buttonhole.

pivoted on the block Q, and the reciprocating movement of the plate L imparts an oscillatory movement to the main plate Q and to the work-support secured to said main plate Q in a direction lengthwise of the buttonhole. At the same time that the worksupport is moved as just described itis also given a movement in a straight line in a direction at right an gles to the buttonhole through the cam O. This is efiected by the follower r on the'end of an arm R, secured by screws, as shown, to the plate P, it being clear that the movement in a straight line of the plate P will be imparted through the main plate Q to the work-support.

In Fig. 6 I have shown diagrammatically a buttonhole as sewed on the machine organized as described. Starting at the end a: a row of side stitches is sewed on the left-hand side of the buttonhole, the goods being fed toward the operator. At the end of the sewing of this first row of side stitches the needle is on the center line of the buttonhole at the point 11 The movements for producing the vibratory movement of the needle and the lengthwise-feeding movement of the worksupport are suspended at or about this time, and the sewing of the barring-stitches begins. The cams N and O are so constructed and timed as to sew a set of barring-stitches be-' ginning from the center line of the buttonhole to the right and extending to about the end of the depth-stitches on the side, then to the left across the end of the buttonhole to the end of the depth-stitches on the other side of the buttonhole, and finally back to the center of the buttonhole-line. The parts are then in position to sew the second row of side stitches when the feed is away from the operator. The barring-stitches at the end a; are formed outwardly and at substantially right angles to the side stitches-that is, with the form of the cams N and 0 shown in Fig. 2 the barring-stitches do not overlap the side stitches. At the end y, however, the feed of the mechanism to form the barring-stitches being in the same direction as the endw, the barring-stitches will overlap two or three of the side stitches, as shown in the drawing.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a modification of the cam N for the purpose of causing the barring-stitches to overlap the side stitches Instead of cutting the groove of the cam N, so as to make the throws of the work-support equal for all of the barring-stitches, I make the recess nthat is, the recess in which the follower Z rests during the formation of the side stitcheshalf the depth of the throw of the cam from the point 07. to the point 123. As so constructed the cam N on its first and last throw for a set of barring-stitches will move the work-support but half the distance of its throw for the remainder of the barring-stitches. It is evident from this that when the needle starts from the center of the buttonhole-line the work-support will be moved half the distance of a full throw. On the second and succeeding stitches the work-support will be moved the full distance of the throw of the cam N until the last barring-stitch, which will be of the same length as the first one, bringing the needle to the starting-point. This will occur at both ends of the buttonhole, as shown in Fig. 7. The tension of the needle-thread being constant during the sewing operation, a purl-stitch will be formed in both the side and barring stitches. To get the benefit of the tension, it is of advantage to cover up the first one or two of the side stitches by the barring-stitches.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that during the sewing of barringstitches the work-support will be given an oscillatory movement about the block Q as a pivotthat is, the work-support will be moved in the arc of a circle and not as in my previous application, Serial No. 722,298, in a straight line-so that the barring-stitches will be laid at substantially right angles to the side stitches.

Instead of making plates P Q and the shank of the work-support in separate pieces it is evident that they may be made of a single piece of metal. a

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a buttonhole-sewing machine the combination with stitch-forming mechanism of a work-support, means for producing between said stitch-forming mechanism and work-support relative feeding and vibratory movement suitable for forming rows of stitches for the sides of a buttonhole, and mechanism for producing relative feeding and oscillating movements between the stitch-forming mechanism and the work-support,to form barring-stitches at substantially right angles to the side stitches, said last-named means comprising a plate and an extension of the work-support and two earns to simultaneously actuate such plate and work-support, substantially as described.

2. In a buttonhole-sewing machine the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a work-support, means for producing between said stitch-forming mechanism and work-support relative feeding and vibratory movements suitable for forming rows of stitches for the sides of a buttonhole and means for producing barring-stitches at both ends of and at substantially right angles to, the rows of side stitches, comprising a feed-wheel having a blind tooth, a lever carrying two pawls, one of which engages said tooth during the formation of the side stitches, a lever to hold the second of said pawls out of engagement with said wheel during the formation of side stitches, and means to trip said lever to permit the last-named pawl to move said wheel to bring the first-named pawl into active relation with the feed-wheel, substantially as described.

3. In a buttonhole-sewin g machine,the com- IIO bination with stitch-formin g mechanism, of a work-support, means for producing between said stitch-forming mechanism and Work-support relative feeding and vibratory movements suitable for forming rows of stitches for the sides of a buttonhole, means to suspend said movements; means to produce barring-stitches, comprising a main plate, a second plate pivoted on a block supported in an opening in the main plate, and means to impart to said second plate a movement in a straight line transversely to the length of the buttonhole and at the same time to oscillate it in a direction at right angles to such transverse movement, substantially as described.

4. In a buttonhole-sewing machine the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a work-support, mechanism for producing between said stitch forming mechanism and work-support relative feeding and vibratory movements suitable for forming rows of stitches for the sides of a buttouhole, means to suspend said movements at a predetermined period, and means to form barringstitches, consisting of a plate connected to the work-support, means to feed said plate in a straight line transversely to the length of the buttonhole and at the same time to oscillate it in a direction at right angles to such transverse movement, substantially as described.

5. In a buttonhole-sewing machine the com: bination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a prising a needle and a Work-support, mechanism for producing between said stitch-forming mechanism and work-support a relative feeding and vibratory movement suitable for forming rows or" stitches for the sides of a buttonhole,-and mechanism for producing a relative feeding and oscillating movement for forming barring-stitches at the ends of the buttonhole, at substantially right angles to the side stitches, said mechanism including an extension of the Work-support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES T. HOGAN.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. CRUsE, CHARLES S. JoNEs. 

